Reserved traffic lanes are highway lanes, which have been reserved for the use of a selected sub-set of commuters. The selected sub-set of commuters could be, for example, emergency vehicles, buses, car-pools or other high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs). One category in this sub-set consists of vehicles which have volunteered to pay a special toll surcharge to use the reserved traffic lanes. This category will continue to grow in popularity as toll operators seek to increase their revenue.
The revenue for the toll road operators is greatest when the reserved lanes are running at close to maximum capacity. However, at higher levels of usage, congestion of the reserved lanes can result in commuter dissatisfaction and lead to reduced usage. One option to balance usage and revenue is to control the level of usage, to some extent, by adjusting the toll charges dynamically over time according to said level of usage. In order to optimize the usage, it is necessary for commuters to properly understand the dynamic toll charges and the benefit they provide in terms of reduced congestion at any given time. The current state of the art does not adequately address this.
Electronic signs which provide information to the commuter, such as traffic speeds in the reserved and general lanes, toll charges, and time saved by using the reserved lanes, are one means by which to inform the commuter. The benefits of this type of system are limited because the time savings can only be provided on a limited time scale and only when the commuter is already physically present at the toll lane entrance. Moreover, a commuter is forced to make a quick decision on whether or not to use a given toll lane in the brief period that the sign is visible and he may need to do this repeatedly at several toll lanes before reaching his destination.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method to inform commuters of the time saving and cost for a number of different routes to a final destination before commencement of a trip to allow for informed trip planning.